Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has directed the Sole Administrators (SOLADS) of the 27 Local Government Areas of the state to plant 10,000 trees in their local communities within six months of the launching of Hope Green Revolution (HGR)initiative.
Uzodinma gave the direction in his address at the flag-off of the tree planting initiative and launching of the Hope Green Revolution in collaboration with Numeric Development Limited and Summit Innovative and Synergy Limited, its development partners.
The launching attracted representatives from the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment; Federal Ministry of Health; Federal Ministry of Environment and the United States ambassador to Nigeria.
Uzodimma said that tree planting has beenan age-long method of dealing with ravaging natural disasters, such as flood.
He urged everyone to consider tree planting and other measures to check environmental abuse as panacea to solving the threatening climate change.
This is as he directed the SOLADS to take the lead in planting a least 10,000 trees within their domain, just as the commissioners for Agriculture and Environment will work out the modalities on how to fully implement the other protocols that would make the Hope Green Revolution initiative a huge success in the state.
According to him, “I have been informed that through the launching of the ‘Hope Green Revolution’, which is the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, we shall reap the benefits, economically, ecologically and socially.
“I sincerely look forward to these benefits, which will include a safer and healthier environment, job creation and opportunities for increased internal revenue generation.
“As our own modest contribution to the realization of this lofty idea, I hereby direct the chairmen of the 27 Local Government Areas in the state to plant a minimum of ten thousand trees in their domain within the next six months. The commissioners of Agriculture and Environment should collaborate to come up with the best strategies that will help Imo State drive the ‘Hope Green Revolution’ to a fruitful end.
“It is remarkable that this event is taking place at a time when Nigeria has just experienced the worst type of flooding in recent history. As a result, many Nigerians lost their lives and property, while many more were displaced from their homes. As we speak, many Nigerians are yet to return to their homes, and we are all praying for the rains to abate and for the floods to recede.
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The Hope Green Revolution, according to the governor, is an ambitious and revolutionary movement to address the anxieties and other consequences of extreme weather, which makes the event timely.
Governor Uzodimma continued: “Although Nigeria is a party to the Global Green Transmission Agenda, Imo State is the first sub-national to go green in Africa. Thus, today’s event signifies a major milestone and another first for our dear state. This should not come as a surprise to anyone, considering that Imo State under my watch is blazing the trail on many fronts.
“In this respect it will interest you to know that Imo State is also the first state to embrace a full – blown digital economy, being the first state in Nigeria to establish a Ministry of Digital Economy and e-Government. Surely, you will agree with me that Imo State is on the march again!
“Be that as it may, we all know that climate change is responsible for the incessant rains, the attendant floods and other devastating extreme weather events reported across the world in recent times. We also know that a variety of human activities, which result in the excessive release of greenhouse gases, are responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer, the resultant global warming and other features of extreme weather, such as flooding.”
“It is reassuring that something as simple as tree planting offers us a chance to contribute to the global efforts to mitigate against climate change and its devastating consequences.
“This explains why today’s event should not be seen as a mere ceremony but the beginning of a revolution. It should, therefore, be taken seriously by the agencies of government, corporate organizations and of course, the citizens and residents of the state.
“The declaration of Imo State going green today is to emphasize that it is henceforth compulsory for everyone who resides in Imo State to plant and nurture trees. In addition, other initiatives aimed at reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released to the environment through everyday human activities will be launched. This includes the adoption of such green energy initiatives as the green cook stoves and other energy- saving initiatives in government offices and buildings.
“This is an innovative idea aimed at helping to mitigate the damage done to our environment by the indiscriminate activities of man. Although we have been having tree – planting campaigns in Nigeria, I believe the current aggressive approach will yield more positive results, partly because many of us now know that climate change is real.
“When I talk about the indiscriminate destructive activities of mankind towards nature, I look directly at those who fell trees either for commercial or domestic uses. As a child I used to observe government employees planting gmelina trees all around the state. Some of the cashew trees planted by our forebears are still there for us to see. These were deliberate efforts by a visionary generation to check erosion long before we started talking of combating the effects of climate change. But where are the trees today? Loggers, many of them, illegal, have swooped on them.
“So it is not enough to plant and nurture trees. We also need to come up with enforceable measures to preserve them. To this end, we shall explore legislative measures to ensure that every one who resides in Imo State is legally bound to embrace the tree – planting and maintenance culture, while those involved in the illegal felling of trees are made to face the lawful consequences of their anti – green culture.”
